Blame
by HuffleFlerkin
Summary: When you loose someone you feel like you have a hole in your heart, an empty void that can never be completely filled. This is what Tony Stark felt when peter Parker died. That hole was filled when he returned. Now it is back. (Tony and Nat never died in Endgame and the Far from Home end credits never happened)


**Hiya! So this fic is basically set after Endgame, but survives and so does Nat because they were my favourites that died. Also I'm ignoring Far From Home because it doesn't fit this story but MJ and Peter are a couple. Warning this has mild endgame spoilers and no happy ending! Enjoy! **

"Hey Mr Stark!"

I whipped my head around at the sound of the voice of an excitable teenager, barely dodging a blast from an alien's weapon. The kid flipped into my vision- his lenses widened at the sight of the army me and the other Avengers were fighting.

"Whoa, it's the Avengers!" Peter exclaimed, sounding way too happy.

I rolled my eyes even though the kid couldn't see my face behind my mask, "What does that make me, kid?" I asked not really expecting an answer but the teenager gave me one anyway,

"Oh sorry, Mr Stark! But- I've like never met any of them! Properly, I mean, Germany didn't really count we were kinda on different sides- neither did the compound cause we were you know fighting aliens-different ones you know what I mean!"

I was about to answer when the kid leapt over my head. I jerked my head around as Peter grabbed the spear an alien was about to impale me with. The creature snarled the kid and snapped at him. I raised my palm and a beam hit the alien in it's chest and it flew into a nearby wall and slid down to the floor, stirring slightly.

"Kid, go back home. We've got this!" I ordered ducking as bits of building soared over my head. Peter followed the flying debris with his gaze and murmured,

"Doesn't look like it."

I opened my mouth to retort back when Steve yelled, "Tony!"

Me and the kid snapped around to see Cap pointing wildly at a building that was looking very unstable. He shouted something again, but was cut off as an alien leapt, snarling, at him. Peter and I sprang into action. The kid webbed at monster's mouth shut, so it couldn't bite Steve's face off and Cap punched it fiercely in the face. I blasted off Cap and it soared into Natasha, who stabbed it through the head.

As I helped Steve get to his feet, he explained wildly, "Thanks Queens." I tried not to laugh at the way Peter puffed out his chest at Cap's praise. "Nat's found out where the thing that's keeping them alive is." He paused for breath.

"Well?!" I snapped, "Where?"

Steve pointed to the building, "We bring that down we defeat them all."

My eyes to flickered the building Cap was pointing at, "Me and Rhodey can destroy the support, that'll bring it down. Let's do it!" I spoke out loud.

I started forward, but the kid blocked me, "But Mr Stark! There are people in there!"

Mine and Steve's gaze shot to window Peter was gesturing at, sure enough I could see a man and woman there, the woman was holding a baby desperately trying to calm it, while her husband looked for a way out.

"Shit," I swore, "F.R.I.D.A.Y is there any more people in there?"

_There are only three humans in the buildings. _the AI confirmed.

"I can get them!" I looked at Peter sharply,

"No." I said, "No way. It's too dangerous." Peter lifted his chin and I could imagine his brown eyes filling with determination behind the mask.

"I'm faster than you and Cap, more agile. Beside you and Rhodey and you need to bring down the building once I'm clear- you said so yourself." He reasoned, his voice steady.

"Then Nat can do It," I countered, turning to face the super spy, but she had her green eyes narrowing in thought.

"The kid's faster than me. Plus I can't climb walls." Natasha said quickly, glancing at the building, "Tony, the buildings becoming more unstable."

I followed her gaze and saw she right, the couple were covering themselves and the baby- terrified. _Dang it. _

I face the kid.

"Don't die." I ordered him. Peter nodded quickly then sprang towards the collapsing building. Swallowing my worry, I spoke to Rhodey through the comms, ignoring the knowing look Natasha shot me. None of them had properly met Peter apart from Rhodey.

"Rhodes, you hear that?" I asked him shooting into the air, dodging an alien beam heading towards me.

"It was kinda hard not to overhear." His voice came through to me over the comms, lighthearted.

A pause.

"Peter will be fine, Tones."

I grunted a reply, glancing at the kid, who was holding the baby and helping the woman out the window while the husband watched worriedly. The baby reminded me of Morgan but I pushed the thought from my mind. Morgan was safe at home with Pepper.

"Once there're clear we shoot the support beams." I explained unnecessarily.

Steve and Nat were keeping the aliens from attacking Peter and the family. Rhodey and I joined in, shooting from above. I kept glancing at the kid to check if he was okay, Rhodey noticed and kept having to shout warning at me each time an alien shot at me when I wasn't looking.

"Mr Stark, we're clear!"

I looked down to see Peter and the family well away from the building, sheltering behind a fallen car. Steve and Natasha were with them.

"Rhodey now!" I yelled.

As one we turned and released fire on the building. It groaned began to crumble and shake even more. I gritted my teeth and put more power into my blasts.

CRASH!

The building collapsed in a huddle of dust and rock, crushing the thing that kept the invaders alive.

I hovered there catching my breathe, staring at the destroyed building in triumph

Then there was a scream.

_The mother._

I whipped around, fearing the worst but letting out a sigh of relief. The aliens were dropping dead. Some were taking longer than others but they were dying. We won.

"You did Mr Stark!"

I huffed in amusement at the kid's voice- still excited after all of this.

I landed next to him retracting my mask so he could see me, "Nice job kid." I said smiling clapping him on the shoulder. I started to speak when Peter let out a little gasp and looked down.

Frowning, I followed his gaze.

My heart stopped.

No. NoNoNoNoNoNoNo!

There was spear embedded in Peter's stomach.

Behind him an alien, collapsed dead, but the damage was done.

Peter began to fall, but I caught him and lowered him to the floor. Flashbacks from Titan consumed my vision- even after six years that moment haunts my nightmares. Blood was spilling from the wound. The Iron Man armour retracted back into my arc reactor and I put my hands over the wound, desperately trying to stop the blood flow.

"You're going to be fine kid." I said frantically, "You're fine."

Retracting his mask, Peter laughed and blood trailed from his mouth, "I'm seventeen not stupid." He whispered.

Tears blurred my vision and blinked them back furiously. This was Peter. Smart,kind amazing Peter. Top of his class. He knows a fatal wound when he sees one. I remembered my empty words on Titan, _you're alright. _This time I would not give the kid empty promises.

Peter gripped my wrist tightly and whispered, "May... Ned...MJ"

"I'll tell them." I whispered quietly, "And look after them, kid. I promise I will."

Aside from looking reassured, the kid looked just as worried, "Who's gonna... look after... you?"

Tears poured down my face at the kids words, "I'll have Pepper and Morgan." I gasped staring into Peter's brown eyes that were full of pain and fear. Fear of dying again.

This was unfair! The kid had already died once, he can't died again. He needs to go home to May, hug her and tell her about the fight, how he saved three lives. He needs to talk to Ned and them both to geek out about Captain America and Black Widow. He needs to meet up with his girlfriend, MJ and to awkwardly chat about her drawings or the thing that kept the aliens alive and what powered it. He needs to laugh, to smile, to go out Spidermaning, to live his life. Not die. But here he was dying.

Peter gripped my hand again and gasped out, "Mr Stark, thank you..."

Then the light faded from his eyes leaving the eyes that once gleamed with life, cold and dead.

_Thank you._

Last time it was sorry, this time it was thank you.

I let out a scream of agony and grief and bent my head and cried, cradling Peter's head in my lap.

He was dead again. He died again. I lost him again.

And it was all my fault.

I am to blame.


End file.
